Bobeche



BOBECHE Filed Jan. 5. 1966 United States Patent O 3,330,132 BOBECHE Raymond P. Dick, Barrington, and Harry J. Krol, Arlington Heights, Ill., assignors to King-Karel, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Jan. 5, 1966, Ser. No. 518,879 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 67-23) This invention relates to a bobeche, and more particularly to a bobeche which is constructed to prevent melted wax from running down a lighted candle and onto a Candlestick or Candelabra.

A bobeche is a slightly cupped annular collar which surrounds the lower end of a candle above a candle socket of a Candlestick or Candelabra to catch Candle `drippings and thus protect the Candlestick or Candelabra from the melted Wax. Most bobeche do not fit snugly around a candle, so that wax may run down the candle past the bobeche. Even those bobeche which fit a candle rather snugly may permit wax to mn onto a Candlestick, due to irregularities in the candle surface or a lack of roundness of the candle base. Furthermore, when a candle burns low the heat melts the wax which has solidified between the Candle and the edge of the bobeche aperture permitting the wax to drip over the Candlestick. The device of the present invention is designed to overcome these problems.

Thus, the principal object of this invention is to provide a new and improved drip free device for use in -combination with a Candlestick to catch the melted waX dripping from a lighted candle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the Character described including a downwardly tapering neck embracing the lower portion of the candle and cooperating with the candle to provide an annular wax receiving pocket in which wax may solidify to prevent it from going below the bobeche.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is an elevation view of the device of this invention as positioned on top of a Candlestick and receiving a suitable candle;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a central sectional view of the device taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial sectional view through the neck portion of the bobeche.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the drawings, a bobeche, generally designated 10, is adapted for positioning on top of a Candlestick 11 which includes a candle socket 12 (FIG. 3). The bobeche is comprised of a slightly `cupped annular collar 13 having a central candle receiving opening 14 for receiving a candle 15 whereby the cupped collar surrounds the candle above the -candle socket 12 to prevent wax from running -down the candle into the socket. A peripheral ange 16 is disposed about the outer margin of the collar 13 and extends downwardly and outwardly therefrom.

A downwardly tapering, short frusto-Conical neck 18 extends downwardly away from the inner circular edge of the opening 14. The neck has an upper marginal portion 18a which is spaced from the Candle and a lower marginal portion 19 which is spaced below the circular edge of the opening 14 and which closely embraces the 3,330,132 Fatented July 11, 1967 ice lower portion of a candle positioned therein. The tapered neck and a candle positioned therein cooperate to provide a downwardly narrowing annular wax receiving pocket 20 in which melted wax may solidify to prevent it from going -below the bobeche.

As initial melted waX flows down the sides of the candle into the narrowing annular wax receiving pocket 20, the wax will solidify in the narrow lower marginal portion of the pocket and build layer upon layer until the pocket is Completely filled whereupon the wax may overflow into the slightly cupped collar 13. Should `a longitudinal irregularity or groove occur in the candle causing a gap between the lower marginal portion of the neck 18 and the outer surface of the Candle, the melted wax building up in the narrowing pocket 20 will bridge over the gap and thus prevent the melted wax from going below the bobeche.

As the candle burns low to a point where the heat emanating from the flame causes the wax which has accumulated in the cupped collar to begin to melt, the wax which has solidified in the lower marginal portion of the pocket 20 will 4be insulated from the heat because of the thickness of solidified wax barrier which has built up in the pocket 20. The length of the neck 18 obviously governs the thickness of the insulating wax.

The bobeche illustrated is preferably formed of thin sheet material. For instance, the Collar 13, the flange 16 and the neck 18 may be integrally formed by stamping or spinning the entire device out of thin sheet metal such as aluminum. The preferred gauge of the sheet aluminum should not exceed .02 inch. Both the aluminum material and the small gauge provide for rapid heat dissipation to reduce the likelihood of melting the wax barrier built up in pocket 20. The device can then be finished with a gold anodze or like covering.

The foregoing detailed `description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom, as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A bobeche which is characterized by a candle receiving opening the periphery of which defines the top margin of a downwardly tapering short frusto-conical neck that has a top marginal portion which is adapted to be spaced outwardly from a candle and a bottom marginal portion which is adapted to closely embrace a candle received in the bobeche, said neck and Candle cooperating to provide an annular wax receiving pocket in which melted wax may solidify to prevent 4it from going below the pocket, said bobeche being of thin, heat conductive sheet material and having an annular collar projecting outwardly from the neck to provide for rapid heat dissipation and thereby reduce the likelihood of melting the solidified wax in said annular wax receiving pocket.

2. The bobeche of claim 1 which is formed of aluminum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 422,989 3/ 1890 Stelzner 67-23 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,056,532 10/1953 France.

59,046 9/ 1891 Germany. 30,702 3/ 1904 Switzerland.

CHARLES J. MYHRE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOBECHE WHICH IS CHARACTERIZED BY A CANDLE RECEIVING OPENING THE PERIPHERY OF WHICH DEFINES THE TOP MARGIN OF A DOWNWARDLY TAPERING SHORT FRUSTO-CONICAL NECK THAT HAS A TOP MARGINAL PORTION WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE SPACED OUTWARDLY FROM A CANDLE AND A BOTTOM MARGINAL PORTION WHICH IS ADAPTED TO CLOSELY EMBRACE A CANDLE RECEIVED IN THE BOBECHE, SAID NECK AND CANDLE COOPERATING TO PROVIDE AN ANNULAR WAX RECEIVING POCKET IN WHICH MELTED WAX MAY SOLIDIFY TO PREVENT IT FROM 